Indigenous population of Spain. Ethnology

Going to Spain, we often think about what from the sights we'll see on what beach we go and what's new we learn about the culture of the country. However, few people think that the attractiveness of tourism in Spain directly depends on the indigenous population of the Iberian Peninsula. Let's penetrate the ethnic origin of the Spanish people.

To date, the population of Spain is about 40 million people. Over the past few centuries, its growth has been very low. Since the middle of the 16th century, when the population of Spain is about 7.5 million, it has doubled in 300 years. After that, over the next century, it increased two-fold. By the mid-20th century, the population was about 30 million people.

At times, the population growth went into negative, which is connected with a large flow of emigrants in the early 1900s due to the opening of the New World. In addition, at this time, the mortality rate was decreasing in parallel with the birth rate.

The population of Spain has the lowest density in the European Union - an average of 78 people per square kilometer. But, as in other countries, a large concentration of residents is concentrated in peripheral zones and cities, which is associated with economic and social unequality. It is interesting that the female population of Spain is larger than the male population.

Ethnic composition and origin of the Spaniards

The population of Spain is quite diverse, which is due to repeated invasions of its lands. Initially, the Iberian Peninsula inhabited the Iberians (from about 3 millennium BC). Starting with 7 tbsp. BC. The south-eastern and southern coasts were built up by Greek colonies, but a century later they were replaced by the Carthaginians. In the same period, the northern and central regions of the peninsula were conquered by the Celts. The Second Punic War ended with the victory of the Romans, and they settled most of the territory. Their dominance on the Iberian Peninsula lasted more than 600 years. After that, the lands of modern Spain began to colonize the Visigoths with their state centered in the city of Toledo. It existed before the invasion of North Africa by the Moors in 711. Almost 800 years the Arabs held their power here. Among other things, for 1500 years in Spain lived Jews (300-500 thousand people).

Racial and ethnic differences in no way hampered the numerous mixed marriages. In this regard, most representatives of the second generation of Muslims have become people of mixed blood. When Spain was officially converted to Christianity, the Jews and Muslims felt discriminated against. Therefore, they had to accept a new religion so as not to be expelled.

Speaking of the external appearance, among the Spaniards there are often people with Afrosemitic and Arabic features. This served as the appearance of the winged expression "Africa begins in the Pyrenees". At the same time, many northern inhabitants of the country inherited light skin, blue eyes and fair hair from the Celts and Visigoths. The southern regions are mostly inhabited by dark-eyed dark-skinned brunettes.

To date, the population of Spain is 75% of the Spaniards, the rest - Galicians, Basques and Catalans. 95% of Catholics, the rest - Protestants (Muslims and Jews). This is a brief ethnological description of Spain.